Baking rocks ???

[lucky777]

Hey how's it going?

In a post I made about a month or so ago, I believe someone stated that they baked their rocks instead of bleaching or boiling them.  Out of curiosity, how long and at what temp do you guys bake them at? Do I have to worry about them exploding?

I dont have pots big enough to boil the new rocks I found today and I dont have any rubbermaids containers available right now for bleaching.  If I bleach the rocks in the same buckets I use for water changes, would it be safe to use the buckets for future water changes?

[ryancarman.com]

If I bleach the rocks in the same buckets I use for water changes, would it be safe to use the buckets for future water changes?

bleach = chlorine
and chlorine disolves in water, and drinking water has disolves chlorine in it,
dilute chlorinated water enough you get safe water.  If you properly rinse you should be ok, however for five bucks at home depot you can get brand new buckets and save yourself a costly mistake.

[lucky777]

Actually I am already using the HD buckets.  Any idea on the baking issue?

[bitterman]

The reason for boiling is to remove some on the minnerals and salts that only boiling or soaking in water (For a very long time) will remove.

Baking and Bleaching it to kill any hamfull bacterial/living things that might effect the tank. That being said I did not bold my rocks (Granite), I bleached them, rinsed them well (I also added declorinator to the tank when the rocks were added).  Since I have well water I normall don't add any declorinator. Ihave had them in my tank for 6 months with no problems.

Be carefull of any rocks you get on the side of the road (It's best to get them were pestisides have not been used), many places used chemicals to kill the plants/ slow there growth and this can be absorned into the rocks and slowly leach out kill/causing problems for your fish,

Hope this helps,
    Bruce

[repeej]

I baked mine after rinsing them and scrubbing them in the laundry tub.

Baked for 45minutes @350F

[UCGrafix]

One small note.

Soak your rocks for 5 minutes, fill the stove and bake at 350 for 1/2 hour, the water inside the rock will boil and kill anything living in there : )
Boiling on the stove top is usually done to remove minerals and so on.

If you want to sterilize some wood, soak that in water for half an hour, wrap in tin foil and bake the same way as the rocks, it will also kill anything living in there : )

[lucky777]

Guess I'm baking me some rocks tonight  thanx guys.

[darkdep]

I just got back from NS, and brought back two big buckets full of slate from the beach near my father in law's cottage.  What I do:

- Spread all rocks out on the driveway
- Hose them very well
- Use a stiff brush to scrub them a bit, to loosen any grit, etc
- Hose some more
- Spread out on a cookie sheet in the oven (while still wet)
- Cook for 1/2 hr at 350 (you can cook longer if you want, I've always used 1/2 hr)

Let cool and put em in the tank.

[lucky777]

Was wondering where you were, very suprised you hadn't answered to the post earlier.
Hope you had a good trip.  Is it just regular grey slate or coloured?

[darkdep]

Sorry for not answering you sooner, my internet access was pretty limited on the trip.

I had a great time.  The rocks I picked up are a variety of greys, some have a nice blue tinge to them and some a little red.  Very rounded on the edges given the source (marine beach).  I'll be doing my baking this weekend.